Cody Gakpo bounces back to deliver Liverpool relief after leaving Anfield crowd aghast
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Liverpool analysis from Mark Jones after the Reds ran out 5-2 winners over West Ham United following an entertaining afternoon at AnfieldThe groans echoed all around Anfield. After many a half-time joke about West Ham staging a comeback to ruin what had looked to be an all-too-rare stress-free afternoon this season had fallen flat thanks to Tomas Soucek's strike four minutes into the second half, this was the last thing Reds fans needed.On a day when they embraced the set-piece revolution which has swept the Premier League this season, Joe Gomez's long throw had bypassed everyone in the West Ham penalty area and fallen nicely for Cody Gakpo.
It was on his left foot, but surely he'd score from there?The Dutchman's wild finish, shanked horribly into the gloating West Ham fans, served to provide more ammunition for his detractors and deepened a sense of concern among home supporters.READ MORE: Arne Slot details bad Florian Wirtz injury news after Liverpool beat West Ham UnitedLiverpool were 3-1 up, such a lead which would have felt impregnable last season, but they weren't exactly convincing, and this was the sort of miss that could lead to concerns becoming horrifying reality.Credit Gakpo then, for sticking to his guns.The Dutchman's cut inside onto his right foot - something that many people will tell you he does far too often - can be a potent weapon when he's utilising it correctly, and although there was a slice of fortune with the nick off Aaron Wan-Bissaka, the sight of the ball nestling into the corner of the net elicited just as many sighs of relief as his miss had sighs of despair.Even more impressive was to come from Gakpo as - with West Ham having pulled another goal back to heighten tensions slightly, and the Dutchman moved into the centre following the withdrawal of Hugo Ekitike - it was he who produced an excellent pass to Jeremie Frimpong to set his compatriot away to create the fifth Liverpool goal, put through his own net by Axel Disasi.It was a reminder that Gakpo is more than he is often portrayed, and showed just why he continues to be a favourite of Arne Slot's despite diminishing attacking returns this season compared to last.He might not be everyone's favourite but you couldn't fault his effort here, and it was ultimately his two contributions which saw Liverpool over the line.Frimpong's immediate impactThat own goal from Disasi was initially credited to Frimpong by Anfield announcer Peter McDowell. Wishful thinking perhaps, but he didn't need a goal to garnish what was an excellent cameo display off the bench.Emerging in the 77th minute to replace Joe Gomez, who had had a tough afternoon up against the lively Crysencio Summerville, Frimpong immediately got the West Ham winger worried about what was going the other way.Too worried, it turned out, given that the Hammers' best player hauled down Frimpong and was booked within two minutes of his fellow Dutchman coming on.Three minutes later he'd created the own goal for Disasi, and although that won't go down as an official assist in the statisticians' books, he should have had one in the dying embers when his pull back was blazed over by Trey Nyoni when a first Premier League goal beckoned for the youngster.We have been here before with Frimpong of course, and it isn't so much the Premier League that the flying full-back needs to prove himself to, it is more his own body.If, and that should remain a big if for now, but if the Reds can keep him fit between now and the end of the campaign then he becomes such an important and potent weapon raiding down the right flank.
He is a potential gamechanger.Pair turn prolificLiverpool's sudden, but late, embracing of the Premier League's set-piece revolution came home to roost remarkably here, but so too did the recent potency in front of goal from two players who have become reliable scorers.Alexis Mac Allister had only scored one goal all season a month ago, but now the Argentinean has four in his last seven games after his brace against Qarabag, the dramatic winner (or two) at Nottingham Forest and his strike here.Mac Allister has always had an ability to pop up in the right places when it matters, reading the game well and getting into dangerous scoring positions, and that his sudden potency has come at a time when his performances are being questioned by many is a tick in the box for those who would like to see him stay in the team.Virgil van Dijk is always in the team, and now the Reds have got their set-pieces right their skipper is becoming a threat that opposition defences often cannot handle.That is now three goals in his last eight appearances, giving the Reds a route to goal at a time when Mohamed Salah, their top scorer in each of the last eight seasons, cannot buy and goal and English football's costliest ever striker remains sidelined.Van Dijk and Mac Allister's contributions are coming at a vital time of the season when the Reds need everyone to deliver, and right now they certainly are.Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.